Mail-box.



No. 635,965. Patented Dot. 3|, 1999. n. c. KLINE.

MAIL BOX.

(Application filed. July 18, 1899.)

sz I 1,

h L I UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

DAVID C. KLIN'E, OF ROCHESTER, NEW YORK.

MAIL- BOX.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 635,965, dated October 31, 1899.

Application filed July 18, 1899- To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that 1, DAVID C. KLINE, acitizen of the United States, residing at Rochester, in the county of Monroe andState of New York, have invented an Improvement in Mail- Boxes, of which the following is a specification.

The object of my invention is the construction of a mail-box for receiving both letters and packages each in a separate compartment and one from which mail-matter may be removed by the authorized person only and in which convenient access is afforded to such mail-matter for the removal thereof by the postman.

An additional object of my invention is to make such a box as near weather-proof as possible. 4

The accompanying drawings, illustrating my invention, are as follows:

Figures 1 and 2 are side and front views, respectively, of my mail-box. Figs. 3, 4, and 5 are vertical sections, thereof, taken along the line 1 2 of Fig. 2, with the parts of such box occupying different positions, as will be explained. Fig. 6 shows a vertical section of the upper right-hand corner of my mailbox, taken along the line 3 4: of Fig. 3, so as to show details in the construction thereof, as will be explained. Fig. 7 is a top view of a portion of the pivoted receptacle B, with the side and rear walls a and a of the case A shown in horizontal section, taken along the line 7 8 of Fig. 3. Fig. 8 illustratesa detail in the construction of the upper end of the letter-chute L and the sliding cap 2? thereto in sectional view shown along the line 5 6 of Fig. 1.

Referring to the drawings, my mail-box has an outside case A, with side walls a and a rear Wall a. Within this case A there is pivoted upon the studs 19, projecting inwardly from the side Walls a, the swinging receptacle B, consisting in the compartments B and B for packages and letters, respectively. The pivoted receptacle B has a front wall b, side walls I), and a rear wall b extending only part way up. Hinged to this rear wall 12 is seen the flap 19 which has formed on its upper edge two tenons p arranged to work in the slots in the guide-pieces 9, se-

Serial No. 724,217. (No model.)

cured to the inner surfaces of the side walls .these triangular-shaped pieces 61 is indicated in dotted lines in Figs. 3 and 4 when the receptacle B is in its normal or closed position. Such a position of the parts also is seen in full lines in top view in Fig. 7; but when the receptacle B is open for the removal of the mail-matter then this flap b and the triangular-shaped pieces attached thereto assume the positions shown in Fig. 5, where the position of the lower edge of the right-hand triangular-shaped piece at is indicated in dotted lines. This flap 11 serves to so direct the letters and first-class mail-matter dropped into the chute i when the receptacle is open, as shown in Fig. 5, for the removal of the mail that it shall fall in the compartment B therefor.

On the inner surface of the sides I) of the box B are formed cams g which serve to so control the position. of the flap f, hinged to the oblique extension formed on the crossbar p, that when the pivoted or swinging package-chute P occupies a position midway between thatseen in Figs. 3 and 4 such flap f will serve to prevent the removal by means of a wire of packages from the compartment 13. Any attempt to remove a package by means of a wire will result in the lifting of the flap f in such a way as to strip the package from the wire. This chute P is semicylindrical at the top and has a front and a rear portion extending downward from such semicylindrical part, and near the center of such semicylindrical part a connection is made between the front and rear portions for the purpose of securing greater rigidity. This chute P swings on trunnionsp, projecting inwardly, as seen in Figs. 3, 4:, 5, and 6, from the blocks or plates a These blocks or plates a are built out, as seen in Fig. 6, from the outside surface of the side pieces a in such a way that the downward extensions formed on the ends of this chute P shall pass outside of the outer surface of the side walls a. and shall swing in the space between the outer surface of the side walls a and the inner surface of these plates a The side walls a are cut out at their upper ends and at their front edges, as seen in Figs. 3, 4-, and 5, so as to admit of the swinging of this chute P on suitable trunnions p, projecting inwardly from the plates a The formation of this chute P is such that when it occupies the position shown in Fig. 3 the front wall thereof serves to protect the look i, which may be of any suitable construction, from rain, snow, and ice. Then this chute P occupies the position shown in Fig. 4, a package may be inserted in the opening beneath the front wall of such chute and laid on the upper surface of the rear wall of such chute. Then by returning the chute to the position shown in Fig. 3 the package is allowed to drop first upon the oblique extension formed on the rear side of the cross-bar 1). From this point the package passes downward over the flap f, hinged ,to such oblique extension on such bar 17 and into the compartment B.

\Vhen it is desired to drop a letter or other first-class mail-matter into the mail-box, the sliding cap-piece t of the chute L is forced upward by means of the handle 7L3 thereon, and the letter is then dropped into the upper end of the short chute t, rigidly secured in the fixed top piece of the chute L, and it is thereby directed into the larger and longer chute 25 by means of which, in turn, it is directed into the compartment B Should it be desired at any time to mail a letter when the postman is collecting the mail, at which time the pivoted receptacle B will occupy the position shown in Fig. 5, then the flap b, hinged at the upper edge of the rear side wall I) of the compartment B will direct the mail into such compartment 13 from whence the postman will -remove it.

Referring to Fig. 8, the construction of the sliding cap 15 is such, as indicated, that with such cap t down the box is fully protected from rain and sleet. The ends of the cap 25 are turned downward and inward in such a way as to work freely upon an outward extension formed at the tops of the end walls of the chute L. On the ends of the chute L are formed stop-pieces 8 arranged, as seen in Fig. 1, to engage a projection .9, formed on the under side of the sliding cap 25, and prevent the same being raised up too far or en'- tirely removed from the chute L. On the upper edge of this cap I, is formed a lip arranged to shut down over a small projection or flange formed on the upper edge of the rear wall of the chute L in order to prevent sleet and snow from being driven into the chute L. lVithin this chute L the chute t is supported upon the cross-piece i extending between and secured to the side walls a of the case A. The front edge of the side walls a of the case A are carried upward a short distance within the plates a in such a way as to form a support for the horizontal bar 13 and in the center of this bar 19 is formed a suitable catch or mortise for the boltof the look i. A handle 7b is provided for swinging the pivoted receptacle B when the lock t has been unlocked. This chute L is secured in the top piece a of the main body of my mail-box. The front edge of this top piece a is turned inward, as seen at so as to engage a tongue 70, formed on the outside of the upper semicylindrical portion of the chute P, in order that when the chute P occupies the position shown in Figs. 2 and 3 such tongue k may cooperate with this flange k turned on the under edge of the cap-piece (L to prevent sleet and snow from being driven into the box A.

The front wall 1) of the pivoted receptacle B laps a short distance over the front edges of the side walls a of the box A, in order to protect the joint between the receptacle B and the side walls a of the case A from the weather. These extensions are continued down as far as the open position indicated for the receptacle in Fig. 5 will admit of. At the lower edge of this receptacle B is hinged the flap c, arranged to swing in between the side walls a of my mail-box when the receptacle B is open, as indicated in Fig. 5. \Vhen the position of the parts is such as seen in Fig. 5, this flap 6 is supported upon cam-plates 9, formed on the inner surfaces of the side walls a. Suitable stops 3 as seen in Figs. 1 and 2, are provided for holding this flap c with its lower edge extending a short distance below the upper edge of the front piece a of the box A.

lVhen the receptacle B occupies the position shown in Fig. 5, its bottom 0 rests upon and is supported by a suitable cross-bar 8, extending between and secured to the side walls a of the case A and near the lower ends thereof. lVhen desired, my mail-box A may be provided with a suitable bottom a It will of course be understood that the postman in unlocking my mail-box first swings the chute P to the position shown in Figs. 4 and 5 by means of the handle h thereon.

WVhat I claim is 1. In a mail-box a pivoted receptacle and a chute arranged to deliver the mail-matter thereto, a flap hinged to such receptacle and having its other end working in guides and cooperating with such chute to deliver the mail therefrom into such pivoted receptacle when the same is swung to its extreme open position.

2. In a mail-box in combination with apivoted receptacle for receiving mail-matter, a lock for securing such receptacle in its closed position, a swinging chute arranged to deliver the mail into such receptacle, a lip or flange formed on such chute and arranged, when such chute is in its normal position, to cover such lock and protect the same from the weather.

3. A chute having an oblique top piece with an opening therein and a sliding cap extending over and working on such top piece and having a flange turned thereon cooperating with a tongue on such top piece to protect the chute from the weather.

4. A chute having an oblique top piece with an opening therein and a sliding cap-piece extending over and working on such top piece and having a flange turned thereon cooperatin g with a tongue on such top piece to protect the chute from the weather, such sliding cap-piece occupying also an oblique position and arranged to slide obliquely on such top piece.

5. In combination with apivoted receptacle and a swinging chute cooperating therewith, a flap arranged to work. on a cam-surface carried by such pivoted receptacle, such flap cooperating with such swinging chute to prevent the removal of mail-matter from such receptacle when such receptacle is closed, such cam-surface on such receptacle operating to sustain the free end of such flap.

6. In a mail-box, in combination with a pivoted receptacle and a chute for delivering mail thereto, a flap hinged to such receptacle and arranged when such receptacle is open to still deliver the mail from such chute into such receptacle.

7. In a mail-box, a pivoted receptacle and a swinging chute, such chute arranged to swing over the upper edge of such receptacle when in its closed position, such swinging chute cooperating with a flap hinged to a cross-piece to prevent the removal of mailmatter from such receptacle, such cross-piece carrying one of the cooperating parts of a sition, and thus protect such receptacle from 5 the weather.

9. In a mail-box, an outer box as A and in the top thereof a fixed chute having a sliding cap-piece thereto arranged to receive mailmatter of one kind, a pivoted chute arranged to receive mail-matter of another kind, a piv oted receptacle having two compartments, one arranged to receive the mail from such fixed chute and the other to receive the mail from such pivoted chute, such pivoted chute cooperating with a flap to prevent the removal of mail from its corresponding compartment in the receptacle, such pivoted chute also serving to protect the lock for holding such pivoted receptacle in its closed position, and a deflector arranged to deliver the mail from such fixed chute to its corresponding compartment in such receptacle, when such pivoted receptacle is open.

10. In a mail-box in combination with a pivoted receptacle and a case extending below such pivoted receptacle, a swinging flap hinged to such receptacle and working on a track carried by such case, and such flap operating to protect the joint between the lower edge of such pivoted receptacle and that portion of the case extending below it.

DAVID C. KLINE.

Witnesses:

FRANK P. SIDDoNs, O. S. MESSERSMITH. 

